MSDN Mid-Atlantic Roadshow Winter 2010 Tour. Cloud Computing and Azure coming to a town near you!

MSDN Events presents: Take Your Applications Sky High with Cloud Computing and the Windows Azure Platform

Andrew, Dani, Rachel and I will be taking a deep dive into cloud computing and the Windows Azure Platform. We’ll start with a developer-focused overview of this new platform and the cloud computing services that can be used either together or independently to build highly scalable applications. As the day unfolds, we’ll explore data storage, SQL Azure, and the basics of deployment with Windows Azure.

All events start promptly at 1pm (check-in at 12:30) and end at 5pm. Refreshments (and plenty of caffeine!) will be served.

If you register and attend this event, you will be placed in a raffle to win a chance to bring home one (1) free copy of Windows 7 – you could be the lucky winner!

Hands on with the Cloud

SESSION 1: Overview of Cloud Computing and Windows Azure

The Windows Azure platform is a set of high-performance cloud computing services that can be used together or independently and enable developers to leverage existing skills and familiar tools to develop cloud applications. In this session, we’ll provide a developer-focused overview of this new online service computing platform. We’ll explore the components, key features and real day-to-day benefits of Windows Azure.

Highlights include:

What is cloud computing?

Running web and web service applications in the cloud

Using the Windows Azure and local developer cloud fabric

Getting started – tools, SDKs and accounts

Writing applications for Windows Azure

SESSION 2: Survey of Windows Azure Platform Storage Options

Durable data storage is a key component of any cloud computing offering. The Windows Azure Platform offers many options, which can be used alone or in combination. Windows Azure itself offers ready-to-use and lightweight storage in the form of tables, blobs, and queues. Another choice for storage is SQL Azure, a true relational database in the cloud. In this session, we’ll explore the highlights of these implementations and how to both create and use storage in each form. We’ll give you guidance on choosing the right forms of storage for your application scenarios.

Highlights include:

Understanding table & blob storage

Programming against table & blob storage

Working with queue storage

Managing credentials and connection strings

Scaling and configuration

Understanding SQL Azure databases versus local SQL Server databases

SQL Azure firewall, logins and passwords

Database creation, deployments and migrations

Database management using SQL Management Studio

Programming against SQL Azure databases

SESSION 3: Going Live with your Azure Solution

Windows Azure features a powerful, yet simple deployment model. By focusing on your application and abstracting away the infrastructure details, you can deploy almost any app with minimal fuss. In this session, we’ll walk you through the basics of Windows Azure deployment, including site monitoring, diagnostics and performance issues.

Highlights include:

Start-to-Finish Visual Studio demonstration of a realistic XML data driven business web site from the desktop to the cloud.

Windows Azure Deployments

Start-to-Finish Visual Studio demonstration of a realistic SQL Server data driven business web site from the desktop to the cloud.